Ninety-seven percent of Americans own cellphones, making SMS messaging an excellent means of reaching customers and keeping them engaged with brands. Organizations that use this strategy have access to a highly reliable communication method with higher open and engagement rates than email. With over 70 percent of people making purchases after receiving text messages, it is clear that this is a powerful means of engagement. However, poor SMS deliverability can lead to missed opportunities and lost revenue. Learning to improve deliverability could help you reach your audience and drive more conversions.
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What Is SMS Delivery?
SMS delivery is the rate at which marketing text messages reach the inboxes of intended recipients. As a marketer, you will draft messages with a particular goal in mind, such as relaying exclusive deals or updates on package shipments. You can then use an SMS marketing platform to send the messages. Some of these platforms also handle email marketing. The recipient’s network will screen incoming messages for potential spam and other problematic content before delivering acceptable messages to the recipient’s device.
A study by YoomWeb found that the average deliverability rate of SMS is 98 percent, making this a powerful, effective means of engaging customers. To find your deliverability rate, you divide the number of messages that are successfully delivered by the total quantity that you send.
Why SMS Deliverability Matters in eCommerce Marketing
When you improve your SMS delivery rate, you gain more opportunities to engage directly with your target audience. Sending quality messages that people care about, such as delivery updates and promotions, will increase your engagement rates and trigger more purchases. This strategy integrates well with an omnichannel campaign. However, poor deliverability rates will result in wasted resources and money as more of your messages fail to reach customers’ inboxes.
For your SMS campaign to be successful, increasing your deliverability rate is crucial. Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to ensure your messages reach the right audience at the right time.
Common Factors Affecting SMS Delivery
Four common factors impact the deliverability rate of your SMS marketing messages:
- Carrier filters: To protect the inboxes of their users, mobile carriers will block messages that they flag as spam or irrelevant.
- Invalid or inactive numbers: This can become a problem if someone changes their phone number or there is an error in the collection process. Ensure your list is cleaned and updated regularly.
- Message frequency: Sending too many messages can make it harder for your content to pass through filters and reach customers. Excessive messaging will also frustrate users and lead to higher unsubscribe rates.
- Opt-in compliance: Obtain explicit consent from your leads and customers to avoid legal or carrier issues. Follow this up by offering “opt-out” options when people no longer want to receive messages.
Tips for Boosting SMS Deliverability Rates
If your SMS delivery rates have fallen short and you don't see the ROI you expect from your SMS campaigns, you can employ a few helpful strategies that will boost your success:
Step 1: Clean Your Subscriber List
Regularly update your list of subscribers and verify phone numbers to avoid using invalid or inactive contacts. Cleaning helps you maintain a list of engaged, active users which will help protect your sender reputation.
Step 2: Ensure Compliance With Opt-in Laws
Before you send messages to anyone, make sure you have explicit permission to send texts. Offer the option to stop receiving these messages at any time, and honor the requests promptly.
Step 3: Personalized Messages
Tailor each message you send based on customer behavior and preferences to improve engagement. For example, you might have someone subscribe only for delivery updates, so make sure you honor that request. If a person shows interest in a particular sale, you might send personalized updates on the items that caught their eye. You can also segment your audience to improve the relevance of your messages.
Step 4: Monitor and Optimize Send Frequency
Avoid spamming your subscribers with too many messages. Klaviyo research indicates that around one-third of users appreciate a few messages per week and another quarter will accept once-weekly messages, but only 13 percent say that daily texts are acceptable. Monitor your message success rates, and adjust the frequency to maximize engagement.
Step 5: Test and Monitor Campaign Performance
Run A/B messaging tests and track your delivery reports. This will help you see what your customers respond to and what drives conversions. It also shows you how to further optimize your content and delivery times.
Improve Your SMS Delivery Rate and Build Brand Success
As you build your SMS campaign, these techniques can help optimize your strategy and improve your ROI. When your messages reliably land in customers’ inboxes, you can keep them engaged, encourage purchases, and drive eCommerce marketing success. If you have yet to see the revenue you want, consider how the strategies above and Groove Commerce can help improve your SMS deliverability to maximize engagement and sales.
